“LaFerrari” means “the Ferrari.” The excellence. In this car, we put everything we are able to do. Our extreme technology, extreme experience, extreme capability. And this has been the first Ferrari totally designed in our design center. – Luca Cordero di Montezemolo

Ferrari did not leap into electrification, but rather worked its way toward the electric future with its first hybrid hypercar. While other automakers may boast that their cars are influenced by real-world development in Formula 1, Maranello’s namesake might as well be dressed in Scuderia Ferrari livery.

The company also relied on its top clientele for development input. The FXX program was hardly a mere focus group. Rather, Ferrari invited dedicated enthusiasts to test what the automaker barely attempted to disguise as a development mule cloaked in racing clothing. As Ferrari did not want collectors to speculate on the FXX, the costly program was a subscription to the company’s development team. FXX testers could use their cars on the track at Ferrari’s discretion, but they did not initially own the vehicles outright. FXX alumni can say they had tremendous input in moving the supercar manufacturer into hypercar territory, but they had to wait to see the fruits of their labor in their own garages.

After the FXX program ended, Ferrari took to the 2013 Geneva Salon with the LaFerrari. The debut stole the show, to say the least. Though Ferrari billed the car as the successor to the Enzo, it had far more in common with the FXX. Behind its passenger compartment and within the F1-style carbon-fiber monocoque structure sat the FXX’s 6.3-liter V-12. The LaFerrari’s lines echoed its predecessor, albeit with softer lines in contrast to the comparatively brutal Enzo. Flavio Manzoni from Ferrari’s in-house design team is credited with its design, which will surely go down in history for vaulting the automaker into a new era.

On the global stage, the LaFerrari was immediately compared to those hypercars from England and Germany. The McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 feature hybrid powertrains that can motivate them on electric power alone. The LaFerrari’s electric motor exists to support the 6.3-liter V-12, not to provide electric driving. Functioning like the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) used in Formula 1 cars, the LaFerrari harvests kinetic energy produced when the Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes are applied, stores it, and reuses it when the driver requires additional power from the V-12 combustion engine. The power boost adds 161 bhp to the 6.3-liter V-12’s 789 bhp, for a system output of 949 bhp.

The result is electrifying in every sense of the word. The sports car vaults to 100 km/h in a tick under three seconds, 200 km/h is reached in a mere seven seconds, and 300 km/h arrives in 15 seconds. The LaFerrari will top out at 350 km/h, or about 217.5 mph.

Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rubber crafted from a Ferrari-specific compound puts the power to the ground, ensuring that the car is as stable at speed as it is winding down a curvy road. The LaFerrari weighed in at about 2,800 pounds unladen, an astoundingly low figure for a high-tech hypercar. Magnetic dampers ensure a civilized ride, and an electronic rear differential ensures that the driven wheels remain firmly planted on the tarmac.

Though it is thoroughly capable of covering distance at an astounding rate, the LaFerrari has been praised by owners and media alike for its docile urban manners. The seven-gear F1-style dual-clutch transmission flips through the cogs quickly, without a hint of low-speed hesitation. Additionally, the LaFerrari’s hybrid battery pack can be topped off at any household charger.

By the numbers, only 499 LaFerraris were built. Production of the hardtop started in mid-2013 and ceased just after New Year’s Day 2016. Ferrari offered the car to only its committed clientele. Not only were LaFerrari owners loyal to the brand, they constituted an ultra-elite upper crust of Maranello’s faithful.

The example offered here was among the first to arrive on American soil, and it was delivered to its first owner, a notable private collector, through Ferrari of Denver. Unlike most ordered in red, yellow, or black, this LaFerrari is a rare example painted by the factory in very attractive Grigio Ferro. It is believed to be the only example finished in this color combination with a red interior and fitted with a black carbon-fiber top. The car is further outfitted with black brake calipers behind its black-painted wheels, offering a subtle yet menacing presence. A further $45,000 worth of options were selected by its first owner. Inside, its red leather interior is accented with yellow digital instrumentation, including the odometer that displays a mere 442 miles. Matching red leather luggage designed to fit in the LaFerrari is also included.

In today’s market where collectors pay a significant premium to secure that special car that stands above their peers, this example represents an incredibly rare opportunity to acquire a truly exceptional one-off LaFerrari which differs from all the others. It has been recently serviced and is ready to be enjoyed by its next discerning caretaker.